Electric iron



May 16, 1933. GORDON 1,909,343

ELECTRIC IRON Filed May 14, 1931 Patented May 16, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN GORDON, OF WHANGAREI, NEW ZEALAND, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRIC IRON GRIP SWITCH COMPANY LIMITED, OF WHANGAREI, NEW ZEALAND, A COMPANY NEW ZEALAN D ELECTRIC IRON Application filed may 14,

This invention relates to the ordinary types of domestic and like electric irons and has been devised with the object of providing means combining.therewith whereby the current supply to the iron may be controlled automatically in such a manner as to be turned on and oil' as the users hand grasps and releases its grasp upon the iron handle. The use of the invention therefore will serve to prevent the current being left on when the iron is left standing but will ensure of it being turned on and kept on fully while the iron is in use. The invention, however, embodies means whereby the current supply may be turned on to the iron for its heating when the iron is left standing.

The invention comprises a construction of plug for the irons terminals embodying a throw-over switch controlling the current supply lead, and the combination with the. handle of a spring-controlled hand piece which extends along the handle and is connected to the switch and which in its normal position under the action of its spring retains such switch in an open condition but which when the iron handle is grasped, is turned down and closes the switch, maintain ing it closed so long as the grasp is held. Means are provided for locking the hand piece in the switch closing position for the preliminary heating of the iron.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the iron and its attachments complete.

Figure 2 is a rear end view thereof but with the plug removed from the iron.

Figure 3 is a first quadrant elevation of the plug showing it in elevation when viewed from the right of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation,

Figure 5 a sectional side elevation of the plug, and

Figure 6 is a detail view illustrating the said locking means and their action.

In giving effect to the invention, the plug A for connecting the terminal pins B of the iron with the usual supply cable C is mac c with a switch embodied within it and interposed in the supply wire of the said cable.

1931. Serial No. 537,299.

Such an arrangement is shown in Figures 3 to 5 of the drawing and embodies the formation of the plug with a recess 10 in its lower portion and opening from its rearside, such recess having a cover plate 11 for closing it. A pair of contact sockets 12 are fixed in the bottom of the plug body and are adapted to fit over the said pins B in the usual manner when the plug is placed on the iron, and these sockets have terminal pins 13 extending through into the recess 10.

pair of terminals 14 is fixed in the upper part of the recess to extend through as terminal screws above this part of the plug and to these the respective leads of the cable C are attached, the lead ends being accommodated within a suitable protective housing 15 aflixed to the top of such plug. The terminals 13 are connected by wires 16 with the terminals 14 respectively, in the one instance the connection being direct, but in the other through switch members comprising a contact 17 affixed to the recess back and a swing ing contact 18 pivoted upon such back and adapted to be moved into or out of connection with the contact 17 by the operations of an insulated arm 19 that is mounted upon a pivot pin 20 journaled in the plug. This pivot pin 20 is carried through to the front of the plug and has a lever arm 21 secured to it to project upwardly on the plug face and by the transverse movements of the end of which the switch 17+18 is opened or closed, according to the direction of its movements.

To prevent any arcing in the make and break of the switch and also in order to make these actions positive, the switch 17-18 may be made on the well known spring-actuated throw-over principle. The switch itself, however, forms no definite or novel feature of this-invention as numerous designs may be devised and used by incorporation with the plug, to get the desired make and break of the supply circuit through the operations of the lever arm 21.

A hand piece 22 is provided to extend along above the handle D of the iron, and such is preferably-shaped of concavo-convex form laterally, to adapt it for fitting neatly down upon the upper half of such handle. This handpiece is, at its forward end, suitably hinged to the forward handle support 23 so that its rear end may turn up and down and is spring-controlled to be normally turned up to a. limit provided for by the guide 24 on the rear end of the handle, in which such end of the hand piece is loosely enclosed. The spring action may be obtained by a fiat spring 25 inserted between the hand piece and the handle, although other approved means for effecting the same purpose may be employed.

To the rear end of the hand piece, a plate 26 is affixed to depend down outside the handle frame end and against the forward face of the plug A. This plate, shown more particularly in Figure 2, is formed with a cam slot 27 therein, and the switch actuating lever 21 is'provided with a forwardly projecting in 28 that extends into the slot. The slot 15 so shaped and is so disposed relatively to the pin that the down and up movements to which the plate 26 may be subiected by pressing the hand piece down and m releasing it to rise again, will cause the lever to be swung transversely in opposite directions and through sufiicient distances to close and open the switch 1718. These movements and parts also are so adjusted relatively that in the normal upward position of the hand piece 22, the switch lever 21 is swung across to the switch opening position. Consequent-' ly when the. user of the iron grasps the iron handle in the usual manner by closing the hand round it, the handpiece is pressed down and in such movement closes the switch 1718 and then keeps it closed so long as the grasp is retained. When the grasp is re leased the hand iece rises, and in doing so, opens the switc In this manner the desired control of the current supply to the iron is obtained to maintain the supply while the iron is in use and then to cut it off when the iron is left.

Fitted upon the top of the guide 24 is a wedge block 30 that is fixed to a pivot cross pin 31 mounted in such guide. This wedge block is capable of being swung in beneath the guide top, as in Fi re 6 when the hand piece 22 is lowered an to then engage such hand piece and to hold it down to keep the switch 1718 closed. It will in such a case be retained in position by being jammed between its pivot and the handpiece through the action of the spring controlling the handpiece and thereby will lock the switch in the closed position and allow of the iron being left standing on its heel in the usual manner for its heating.

Provision is, however, made for the wedge block 30 swinging out automatically, as soon as the iron handle is grasped again in the use of the iron and the retaining hold of the handpiece on the block is eased. This is effected by fixin a pendant weight 33 to the pivot pin 31 w ich when hanging vertically, will swing the block out from above the handpiece such weight being heavier than the block. The liability of the iron being put down and inadvertently left with the current on, is thereby completely safeguarded against with this invention.

I claim 1. In an electric iron, the combination with a current supply connecting plug constructed with a control switch fitted therein, and an operating lever for such switch pivoted upon the outside of the plug and adapted to move transversely on its pivot and in its move; ments in respectively opposite directions toopen and close the switch, and which lever is provided with a pin extending from its free end, of a hand piece disposed to extend along the iron handle, which hand piece is pivoted at its front end to the front end .of the handle, a plate attached to the rear end of the hand piece and depending therefrom alongside the said connecting plug and which plate is made with an incllned slot therein into which fits the said pin on the switch lever, and spring means acting upon the said hand piece to keep its plate-end normally raised from the iron handle.

2. In an electric iron having the attachments described in claim 1, a guide fixed on the iron handle in which the free end of the said handpiece moves in its in and out movements, and a wedge block pivoted upon such guide that is adapted to be turned into the guide when the handpiece is moved in, and to then engage behind the handpiece, and a pendant weight aliixed to the pivot of the cam block to normally swing the cam block out from the guide.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

JOHN GORDON. 

